Taking a quick look at look at some of the most promising games 2012 will have to offer in the coming months.

Final Fantasy 13-2 (January 31, 2012 - Xbox 360, PS3)
Though its linear storyline upset some fans, few can claim that Final Fantasy 13 did not have its great points such as its graphics and combat system. Many of these will be reintroduced in the second installment of the game while adding more such variations on the Active Time Battle and the Paradigm Shift systems. There are also additions like a new "Feral Link" feature that has the player tame monsters and use them as party members in battles, able to unleash special attacks.

The world that players knew from the 1st Final Fantasy 13 has changed, but the game still has familiar locations and characters. Starring a different protagonist, Serah (Lightning’s sister), FF13-2 features multiple endings to the game. This is another one to look out for by the end of the coming month.

Asura’s Wrath (Feb. 21, 2012 - Xbox 360, PS3)
This looks to be one of the most interesting games to come out this year. Asura’s Wrath promises to delivers a fresh take on the action gaming genre and the way players think about a game, even blurring the line between cut-scenes and gameplay..

Players will control Asura, a guardian general of heaven, who was framed for the murder of the emperor. Thrown to the earth and stripped of his powers, his journey features a mix of mythology and sci-fi with a vibrant, multi-textured world. Players go through an intense narrative, driven by revenge. Coupled with over-the-top boss battles and a storyline that delivers like a television drama, this is shaping up to be a must buy for 2012.

Street Fighter X Tekken (March 6, 2012 - Xbox 360/PS3)
Considering all the other fighting team-up games that have come out, it is a surprise that a Tekken / Street Fighter has taken so long to come about. The game is set as two character tag team matches, made up of some of the most robust characters in game fighting history.

Street Fighter X Tekken features a Scramble Mode, which allows four players to play simultaneously to gem-power ups that modify characters’ abilities and stats. To accommodate all fans, the game refined the system controls that both fans of Tekken and Street Fighter will be able to quickly pick up and play. In addition, the game features the “Cross Gauge” system that will allow players to be able to activate team attacks and super techniques.

Mass Effect 3 (March 6, 2012 - Windows, Xbox 360, PS3)
Mass Effect 3 will be the last of the trilogy and continues with Commander Shepard's mission of battling the Reapers, whom have launched an all-out attack. Combat has been changed from the last games with more emphasis on third-person perspective, new battleground options, and instant kills as well as improved AI.

Players will be able to import data from the previous two games, which will create a smooth transition as gameplay will be influenced by decisions made in Mass Effect 1 and 2. Mass Effect 3 itself will also react to each decision such as how you fight the enemy to whom you make an alliance with, making it a truly unique experience of the player’s own creation. With the final appearance of Shepard and a game that allows for the possibility of a hero to really lose, Mass Effects has a draw that many gamers won’t be able to resist.

DmC (2012 - Xbox 360, PS3)
While this revamp of the Devil May Cry franchise features a protagonist named Dante who wears a red coat, it is definitely different from what fans are used to. Instead of totally redoing the series’ format, the new DmC changes the familiar elements, creating an entirely new world.

This interesting world is centered around the new Dante, who is a half angel and half demon, hunting other demons in Limbo City. While Dante has a pair of semi-automatic pistols, broadsword (his broadsword can change shape into a whip), battleaxe and scythe. How much control players will have on DmC has yet to be seen, but gameplay video does show it flowing seamlessly. Fans will definitely want to see if this new story will be an improvement on the original.